Sir, – I qualified as a merchant navy officer at 19 years of age. The trouble was, few Irish ships were available and I therefore had to join the British fleet during the second World War. It was the British government that left us without ships. Vast amounts of Irish money were invested in various British shipping lines, but the British never allowed Irish money to have a controlling interest in any one company. The war came and Ireland nearly starved. We were without oil, coal, wheat, tea, and every other import. The Irish government searched the scrap-yards of the world to find rusting hulks that helped us to survive.
The Dún Laoghaire mail boat had been left in Irish registration but when the merchant seamen received some danger money, the crews opted for transfer to the British. For them, it became a big mistake. Merchant navy men no longer belonged to private companies but to the wartime shipping federation. You were sent where you were posted.
This meant the Battle of the Atlantic, the Russian and Malta convoys, North Africa, the invasion of Italy and D-Day and full involvement throughout the war. Twenty-five per cent of merchant sailors lost their lives; the highest casualties of all services. It was far call from the relative safe Irish Sea crossing.
We did learn a lesson and after the war we tried to develop a fleet of our own. We were no longer to be an island isolated and paying the world to carry our exports. There was great pride as well as employment in our superb new ships. Through lack of government interest and appalling management, we lost the lot. Today we give billions to foreign shipping companies to carry our ever-growing export trade. This is madness.
We can save vast amounts and give huge employment by rebuilding a merchant navy. We can offer freightage to other countries. There are thousands of Irish seamen available to man our ships.
Investment in Irish shipping must be one of the safest and most lucrative ventures in sight. We are an island with vast shipping contacts, vast exports and imports, our exports and imports should be carried on Irish ships. There is a tremendous future in merchant shipping. As an island nation we should have our own fleet in any case. – Yours, etc,